1919 3 16 Beatrice Rose to Florence Rose

I will change some spelling and some grammar as I transcribe.  The locations are Kingston and Pine Hill, both in Ulster County, New York.

This letter was written by 'Beatrice' May Rose Camp when she was 12-years old, to her sister, 'Florence' Alice Rose Lawler.  'Olive' Letha Rose Schnack was their sister and 'Clifton' was their brother.  'Papa' was their father, Elbert Rose. 'Aunt Addie' was Elbert's sister Ada Rose Woolheater.  'Bessie' was her daughter who was married to James 'Jimmie' Winfield.  'Eva' was another of Ada's daughters.  'John Rose' and 'Ward Rose' were their cousins, sons of William Rose, a brother of Elbert's.  'Grandma' was their mother's mother, Alice Estelle Clayton More and 'Aunt Hattie' was Alice's daughter, Harriet More Burgett.

I don't have 'Aunt Lib', 'Aunt Melissa', 'Uncle Dewitt', or 'Uncle Billy' in my tree yet.  Please leave a comment if you can help me with identification.

72 Clinton Ave.
Kingston, N.Y.
Mar. 16, 1919

Dear Florence,

I have had a very hard time to get Papa to send you money but have succeeded.

I have a new dress.  It is plain blue with pique collar and cuffs and pocket.  It was $3.97.  I think that was very expensive but I couldn't get one any cheaper in the size that I had to have.  Mine is size 16.  Bessie got it for me. At first, she got one size 14 and the

length was just right but I couldn't wiggle in the waist.

Aunt Lib and Aunt Melissa and Uncle Dewitt were down here Friday and Aunt Lib said that she would come and see Aunt Addie when the girls went away.

I told you before that Papa was up to Pine Hill.  And when he was going up on the train, he met Aunt Melissa.  And, she was asking him where Bessie was and where Jimmie was and he

told her.  And, she said, "Bet they have parted" and then she went on to tell about Jimmie (all the mean things she could think of) and of course Papa let it go in one ear and out the other.  And, when she came to Kingston, she went into where Bessie is working and asked her what the matter was; why Jimmie and she were parted, and Bessie was astonished.  And then, Aunt Melissa told her that Papa had told her that

Bessie and Jimmie was parted.  And, Bessie told Eva and they were both mad at I and Olive and Papa.  And, when she came home, they told Aunt Addie and she said that she didn't believe it.  And, Bessie and Eva both said that they believed it.  And then, we told Papa and he told all about it and I don't think Bessie and Eva believed it.

We had an arithmetic test. Olive got 55% and I got 70%.  I think that isn't very good.  Bessie had stopped taking short-

hand and is working at McBrides drug store in town.  Her hours are from 9 to 12, from 2 to 6, and from 6 to ten; quite long hours.

John Rose was here this afternoon and he said that he was going to get married in a couple of months to Eva Barton.  She is a real nice girl.  She has John to Sunday School almost every Sunday.  We haven't missed a day since we started to go.

Did you know that I have a locket?

It is real nice.   It is real good.  I am going to make a picture of it so you can see how big it is.  It didn't draw very good.  One side is higher than the other.  Then, there is a long chain with it, too.

When Papa went to Pine Hill, he found your report card.  It had been there a long time so I will try and send it back to you.

I got a very nice folder from

Aunt Hattie and I haven't written to her.  I suppose she thinks I am awful.  Well, I don't blame her.  How is Grandma?

I think that we will go to Pine Hill Easter.  Papa wants to go for a week but, what I am thinking about is, where will we stay.  I don't like the idea of sponging around on the neighbors for a week.  Would you like to?

Well, how many times have your worn your new blue serge skirt?

Papa is talking of getting another job.  He doesn't like it very good where he is.  He isn't getting very good wages, in his mind.

But, I don't like the idea of him roaming around so much.  Do you wish he would hurry up and get settled?

And, Aunt Addie is talking of moving just as quick as she can find another house.  We are going to move.

When was the last time you heard from Clifton?  We haven't heard from him since

we sent him the money; only what Papa said about him.  They are having some more dancing up there.  We saw Uncle Billy down here one day.  Well, it was last Saturday, a week ago from yesterday.

You know that we have a new theatre down here with some style to it, too.  The name of the place is _____.  They have men all dressed up in a fancy costume to help the ladies out of the cars; those that come in a taxicab.

It was a week ago yesterday

that I was to the opera house and yesterday, for 10¢, a kids matinee.  Every Saturday there is one.

Ward Rose was here the other night from Schenectady with a Ford taxicab.  Eva and Jimmie and Aunt Addie were all ready to go to the movies; so he took them for a ride to the movies.  Wasn't he good?

Well, it is after nine o'clock so will have to close for tonight.

Write Soon.
Good Night
Your Sister
Beatrice Rose

  This clipping was not included in the letter.  It was published 2 May 1919 in the Kingston Daily Freeman newspaper.  I include it here simply because of the mention that John Rose intended to marry Eva Barton.

1919 2 22 Beatrice Rose to Florence Rose

I will change some spelling and some grammar as I transcribe.  Kingston, New York is in Ulster County.

'Beatrice' May Rose Camp was 12-years old when she wrote this letter to her sister, 'Florence' Alice Rose Lawler.  'Olive' Letha Rose Schnack was their sister and Clifton Rose their brother.  'Papa' was their father, Elbert Rose.  'Aunt Addie' was Elbert's sister, Ada Rose Woolheater. 'Bessie' Woolheater Winfield and Eva Woolheater were Ada's daughters.  'Odell' was their cousin, a son of their father's brother, William Rose.

I haven't discovered yet the identity of 'Aunt Cora.'  Please offer your suggestions in the comment field at the end.  Also if you know what an 'optic' was.

72 Clinton Ave.
Kingston, N.Y.
Feb. 22, 1919

Dear Florence,

I received the cards and was very glad to get them.  I have broken the rules already.  You know I was to write every Saturday and I didn't last Saturday.  I started one at night and finished it Wednesday.  But, it was written with pencil and I thought you would think that I was lazy.

It is two o'clock now and I have been busy ever

since I got up.

Bessie washed the dishes for breakfast and Olive and I dried them.  I dusted in the parlor and then cleaned the bath-room and then Bessie and I went out shopping on Broadway.

Papa wrote to Clifton last Sunday night and sent him a dollar.  I was to Sunday school last Sunday and the Sunday before.

Last Saturday, Papa took Olive and I up to Stelles (the store on the corner of Wall and John Sts.) and bought us each a new pair of shoes.

Mine are patent leather bottoms and button cloth tops.  And, Olive's are just plain leather.  They both cost $1.98 and Papa bought me a pair of arch supports and they cost $1.57 and the whole thing came to $5.51.  Bessie thought that Papa got a bargain.  They had a sale and that is how we happened to get them so cheap.

We are not going to get the optic anymore.  Ed Tompkins said that it wasn't appreciated.

I saw Abbey _alace.  I think it was Wednesday she said that George Moorey was down here.

I have seen her once before with Aunt Cora's sister.

Valentine's Day was Aunt Addie's Birthday and Eva gave her the loveliest cake.  We had a surprise party and we were all in the other room.  And, Eva and Bessie got every thing ready.  And, when we came out, there sat the cake and two plates of sandwiches, beef, and coffee.  And Oh!  That cake, it was just grand.  It was round and as big as a little dishpan.  And, we had ice cream bricks; all but Aunt Addie.  She had 

vanilla as she don't like chocolate or strawberry.

We had school Valentine's Day and from half past two to twenty minutes after three, we had exercises.  And, yesterday we had exercises from 2:30 to 3:20.  Oh, I just love to have exercises.

Bessie is taking a course in short hand at Spencer's College.  Olive got a card from Aunt Hattie and she said that she had sent me a card, but I didn't receive it.

You know, up to the ten cent store where Eva is working, they got some goldfish in and Eva bought three and the 

loveliest big bowl.

I think that I will try and get Papa to get me a pair of stockings as I need a pair awful much.  And, these old shoes are getting worn out.  And, the lining is wearing out and it makes holes in my stockings.

I told you before that Odell had a sore throat, didn't I?  Papa was here yesterday a little while and he told Aunt Addie that he took Uncle Will home Thursday night sick.  And, he could hardly breath.  And yesterday, Aunt Addie said that the doctor

said he would be alright in a few days.

I suppose you had a great time Valentine's Day.  I am sure I did over to school.  We made a Valentine's box and made Valentines to put in it.  I got one from the teacher, Miss Fitzgerald, and two or three from a girl school friend, Alice Hunter.

Well, I will close and write a longer letter next time as I can't think of anymore to say.

Goodbye
Beatrice

P.S.
You know the last letter

I wrote cost me six cents.  Sunday night, I put it in the mailbox and Monday noon I got it back without any stamp.  It is lucky that I said where it was from.